Christopher vs Peter
Christopher and Petercompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2006, Christopher was ranked #55 and Peter #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2007, Christopher was ranked #73 and Peter #94 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #121 and Peter #152 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #127 and Peter #181 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #239 and Peter #164 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Christopher was ranked #311 and Peter #174 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Christopher was ranked #204 and Peter #286 among boys in England and Wales.
Christopher and Peter over time
Christopher and Peter appear together in 6 published lists, across 304 years of shared records. Christopher held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Peter in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 4 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Peter reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Christopher in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1973, Christopher moved ahead of Peter in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #9 and #8 the year before became #9 and #10.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Christopher and Peter changed places 9 times in Northern Ireland · Boys between 1997 and 2024, ending at #239 and #164.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Christopher and Peter averaged 43.3 places apart, ending at #204 and #286.
- Longest-running competitions
Christopher and Peter were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 55 years, from 1952 to 2006, ending at #55 and #83.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Christopher #25 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
List by list
Norway · Boys79 shared years, 1946–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Peter in 63.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #54 in 1987, Peter #72 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #311, Peter #174.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Christopher held the stronger position in 40 of those years, Peter in 22.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #13 in 1990, Peter #13 in 1964.
The order changed in 2018: Christopher moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #92 and #88; by 2018 that had become #75 and #86.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Christopher #121, Peter #152.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys55 shared years, 1952–2006
Christopher held the stronger position in 34 of those years, Peter in 21.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #2 in 1985, Peter #1 in 1954.
The order changed in 1973: Christopher moved ahead. In 1972 they stood at #9 and #8; by 1973 that had become #9 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2006: Christopher #55, Peter #83.
New Zealand · Boys51 shared years, 1954–2007
Christopher held the stronger position in 37 of those years, Peter in 14.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #4 in 1984, Peter #1 in 1956.
The order changed in 1968: Christopher moved ahead. In 1967 they stood at #12 and #8; by 1968 that had become #6 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2007: Christopher #73, Peter #94.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 29 of those years, Peter in 0.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #25 in 1996, Peter #59 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #204, Peter #286.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Christopher held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Peter in 11.
Highest recorded here: Christopher #10 in 1998, Peter #22 in 1998.
The order changed in 2020: Peter moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #103 and #116; by 2020 that had become #193 and #139.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Christopher #239, Peter #164.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Christopher | Peter |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Late Greek Christophoros, combining 'Christos' (Christ) with 'phero' ('to bear') — 'bearing Christ'. Associated with the legend of Saint Christopher carrying the young Jesus across a river. | From Greek Petros ('stone'), a translation of the Aramaic Cephas, the name Jesus gave to the apostle Simon. |
| Origin | Greek | Greek/Aramaic, biblical |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹɪs.tə.fəɹ/ | /ˈpit.əɹ/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #121 (2025) | Republic of Ireland · Boys #152 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 65/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 58/100 | 94/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Christopher is recorded with a Greek origin, while Peter is recorded with a Greek/Aramaic, biblical origin.
- Christopher has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for Peter.
- Christopher's recorded meaning differs from Peter's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Christopher
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #306 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2014
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1985 (recorded 1952–2014).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #311 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys
Peter
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #106 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2006
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1954 (recorded 1952–2006).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #174 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · Boys